Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 437 Xuanqiong Palace

—Gyeonggi Province, Taeyeon Metropolitan
A purple talisman traveled from the south of the mountain, passing through various roads, straight towards the capital.

Those who know their stuff will recognize at a glance that this is the Purple Palace Golden Palace Talisman, which only the top nobles of the Celestial Dynasty can obtain as imperial envoys. Only one is obtained in each round, making it extremely precious. Moreover, it can reach the ears of the heavens at any time.

The talisman moved with incredible speed, its purple tail flame carrying it through the Four Rivers, which stretched for countless miles, and leaped over the Heavenly Stream, a feat that would impress even a Nascent Soul cultivator.

After being seen by the duty officer on the city gate, the gaze swept past the "Taiyuan" plaque on the towering city gate, and over the heads of countless commoners in the capital of David, before finally landing outside the Xuanqiong Palace, which was built by the Great Ancestor at the cost of exhausting the strength of the people of David.

After Fu Shu, in a personified manner, bowed three times at the Zichen Jinque Palace, a hundred elite palace guards outside the palace gates planted their spears into the ground, and the shoulders of the two golden generals guarding the palace on the left and right slumped, their two golden maces intertwined, and the ten-foot-high passageway, reserved for high-ranking officials of the Celestial Dynasty to submit petitions, suddenly opened.

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying the Purple Palace Golden Palace Talisman into it.

Only then could the Purple Palace Talisman reveal the true face of the Mysterious Vault Palace.

The palace walls were built from basalt dredged from the Liaoyuan Abyss, and were presented by the Gui family when Emperor Taizu first ascended the throne.

Each brick has been soaked in the essence blood of a third-tier demon. The seemingly naturally formed patterns on the brick surface are actually spiritual restrictions painstakingly carved by many skilled craftsmen. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a slightly lower cultivation level will bleed from all seven orifices and have their meridians disordered if they stare at them for too long.

There were no weeds in the Xuanqiong Palace. The sparse dark red moss growing in the corners of the walls was a gift from several Venerables of the Lishan Demon Land.

The founding emperor once fought against the demon army here, and many demon lords shed their essence blood here, which transformed into several demonic spiritual plants, adding a bit of vitality to the Xuanqiong Palace, which is full of imperial aura.

These dark red mosses are only of the second rank, which might be considered rare in ordinary places, but here they can only be regarded as decorative embellishments.

Legend has it that among those demonic spiritual plants, the rarest is a Blood Spirit Mushroom shaped like a dragon's horn. Over the past two thousand years, it has been continuously irrigated with the blood of great demons by a special member of the clan, and it has become known to aid Golden Core cultivators in breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

This is a legend, and outsiders cannot know whether it is true or false.

On either side of a wide central axis paved entirely with gold bricks inscribed with dragon patterns, from the outside in, to the inside, are five high platforms in sequence: Tian Shu, Jiu Xiao, Feng Ling, Qiu Long, and Fen Zui; to the right are five giant buildings: Chao Yuan, Can Xing, Tian Gang, Wen Dao, and Ming Xuan. All of these are vital locations, and are all controlled by nobles trusted by the current emperor, with infinitely wonderful uses.

The Purple Palace Golden Palace Talisman, carried by the gentle breeze, passed through the ten buildings before finally stopping outside the Hall of One Heart, where the current emperor resided.

Twelve jade palace lamps hang outside the hall, burning eternally day and night. Each lamp wick contains the remnant spirit of a former dynasty's loyal minister, serving no other purpose. When the Taizu Emperor ordered the craftsmen to create them, he only mentioned that the lamps should burn continuously.

Looking at the palace gate again, it was indeed a vermilion door with golden nails, nine in each direction.

The golden nails were originally made from the elixir of immortality of the previous dynasty. Later, when the late emperor ascended the throne, the imperial treasury was empty, so he used them to make elixirs and medicines, which were then distributed to reward meritorious officials. When the current emperor ascended the throne, the situation had improved slightly, so this system was temporarily abolished.

Therefore, the palace gate, made of fourth-order red scale wood, still has a row and a column of golden cores remaining. As for the other door nail holes, they were filled with cloud sea floating gold refined by third-order weapon masters. At first glance, it still looks dazzling and dignified.

The arrival of the Purple Palace Golden Palace Talisman in the capital was indeed a momentous event in the eyes of the various forces along the route that were loyal to the Celestial Dynasty. However, as soon as he entered the palace gates, even the group of female officials who were hurrying along did not bother to look at him.

After waiting for half a day, a ruddy-faced man in a blue robe came out from a side gate of the palace to greet them.

The man remained silent, merely revealing the square plaque at his waist and beckoning with his hand, drawing the purple talisman down from the breeze before turning and leaving. The purple talisman, possessing its own spirit, followed the spiritual energy of the man in the green robe's square plaque.

After passing countless rare and precious artifacts and being inspected by countless palace soldiers, Zi Fu finally arrived with her husband in green robes before a pale-faced attendant dressed in purple robes.

"Greetings, Eunuch!" Even though he knew the man before him was hard-hearted, the man in the green robe still couldn't help but show a hint of flattery on his face.

The pale-faced attendant didn't even bother to nod; he simply took the purple talisman, glanced at it, pondered for a moment, and then placed it into the dragon-patterned wooden box in his hand.

The man in the green robe seemed used to such cold treatment and wisely withdrew.

The pale-faced attendant stood still until a bunch of wilted red flowers on the low table in front of him suddenly perked up and straightened their branches. Only then did the pale-faced attendant straighten his clothes and enter the courtyard.

Upon entering the courtyard, a middle-aged man with a broad face and heavy chin sat on the dragon throne; he was extremely robust.

Perhaps it was because he had long held a high position and naturally possessed an air of authority, but the old man in purple robes who held the jade tablet was clearly more powerful than him, yet he was still overshadowed in terms of aura.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Gui." Even when facing the two most powerful figures in the current Immortal Dynasty, the pale-faced attendant's expression remained icy cold.

Fortunately, the two people presenting the audience in the court seemed to be used to the behavior of the white-faced attendant and did not find it strange.

Not only that, Emperor Wei even put down his vermilion brush and replied with a smile, "You've worked hard, Grand Eunuch. Please try the new tea presented by King Yu. This Chaoyin Ziqi tea has been out of supply for over five hundred years. I am only able to taste this flavor again thanks to the blessings of my children."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The pale-faced attendant did not refuse and sat down next to Prime Minister Gui to drink tea.

Emperor Wei was clearly a humble man. He was serving tea to his attendants when he spoke kindly to the old man beside him, saying, "Prime Minister Gui, now that the Grand Eunuch has arrived, let's not argue for too long. If you have any other opinions about Princess Shang's relationship with the Kuai family, then we can discuss it later."

Since Emperor Wei had already spoken to such an extent, Gui Xuantong knew that it would be difficult to change his mind in a short time, so he remained noncommittal about what the former had said.

Emperor Wei thought the old man was about to take his leave, but to his surprise, the latter raised the jade tablet in his hand, bowed, and spoke:
"Your Majesty is quite right. The matter of the Kuai family's son marrying the princess is of great importance and cannot be decided lightly, lest it cause turmoil both inside and outside the court. However, it seems that several Purple Palace Golden Palace Talismans have entered Taiyuan Capital today. I wonder if this old minister may dare to stay here and listen to what the Grand Eunuch has to say, so that I can offer some advice to Your Majesty."

Although Gui Xuantong held the dual identities of the current Left Prime Minister and the head of the Gui family of Liaoyuan, a first-class noble family in the Immortal Dynasty, the purple talismans transmitted by nobles from various places were different from the documents of the high-ranking officials. They were always handled by the inner court, and in principle, there was no need for him, an outsider, to consult them.

Therefore, what this old man asked today can be described as presumptuous in a strict sense, and is indeed an act of disrespect to the emperor.

However, the current emperor is known for his magnanimity. Upon hearing Gui Xuantong's words, he showed no anger whatsoever. He merely glanced at the upright, pale-faced attendant, and seeing that the latter showed no sign of displeasure, he smiled faintly and agreed.

"You flatter me, Prime Minister Gui. It is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask for it."

Upon seeing this, the pale-faced attendant put down his fragrant tea, picked up his scepter, and stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, three purple talismans have arrived from various regions. First, Yao Gu, the chief administrator of Shanbei Circuit, has submitted a memorial to plead guilty. According to him, he recently found Wang Beixing, the elder of the Battle Hall of the Blood Sword Sect of Lianghe Circuit, in Shanbei Circuit. He fought with this man, but Yao Gu was defeated in ten moves and fled. Most of his Daoist soldiers have perished, and most of the general's personal guards have also deserted and are no longer in formation."

If it weren't for the urgent rescue by the head of the Wumu Mountain General Affairs Office, the entire Shanbei Dao General Administration Office might have been reduced to ashes.

Master Yueyin, the leader of Wumu Mountain, has sent an edict from the outer sea, ordering his disciples to obey the commands of Marquis Changshun. Wang Beixing was already injured by His Highness the Northern King last time, so he's unlikely to act rashly again. Good news should arrive soon.

The first matter mentioned by the white-faced attendant might be considered a momentous event in the palace, but Emperor Wei and Gui Xuantong considered it insignificant.

However, since it was a nobleman who had been stationed in a high-ranking position, he had sent a purple talisman to the Xuanqiong Palace, so it was not appropriate to ignore him. After thinking for a moment, Emperor Wei said softly:
"Wang Liao is fierce and ruthless. I hereby order Shu Zhengde, the Imperial Guard General, to lead troops to Shanbei Road to assist him. The Imperial Medical Bureau shall select physicians to go to Shanbei Road to treat and recuperate for Marquis Changshun. The Minister of the Imperial Household shall select rare treasures and send capable men to Lanmeng Palace to present them to the Immortal Yueyin, as a token of my appreciation and reward."

After the pale-faced attendant calmly acknowledged the Emperor's words regarding these matters, seal characters automatically appeared on the jade tablet in his hand as a record.

Although Gui Xuantong glanced slightly at what Emperor Wei said, he remained silent, waiting for the former to speak again.

The pale-faced attendant produced another purple talisman. Although this matter was going to be more dangerous, the purple-robed eunuch's tone remained as calm as ever:

"A message arrived from Feng Shanyou, the Marquis of Chengyi, the Chief Steward of the Imperial Horse Administration of Liangxi Road: Zu Ting, the Captain of the Pure Army, fell into the trap set by the demon captain Zishan Viper. More than half of the 1,200 Pure Army soldiers who were searching for and exterminating the demon were killed or wounded. Of the 16 officers and soldiers of rank who had surrendered, only three survived."

The Imperial Horse Stables are now unable to protect the Liangxi Rare Animal Garden and have no choice but to temporarily seek refuge at Qingyu Tower. The head steward, Feng Dan, fearing complications, petitioned the Imperial Guards to send troops to its aid. This news caused Emperor Wei to furrow his brow slightly, while Gui Xuantong remained calm and composed.

It wasn't that the current Left Chancellor was better at cultivating his composure than Emperor Wei, but rather that the Imperial Horse Administration, which was established in Liangxi, was one of the few remaining private properties of the Kuang family's clan and had little connection with them, the important officials of the outer court, so it was none of their business to concern themselves with such matters.

Emperor Wei understood this principle. He glanced at the old man in the courtyard and felt a little regretful for having agreed to let him listen in.

Of course, such matters could not be kept from these veteran officials in the end, but they were still a matter that damaged the dignity of the imperial family. When the Left Chancellor heard about it in person, he was somewhat embarrassed.

After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Wei spoke again: "I hereby appoint Kuang Furen, the Left Minister of the Imperial Clan, to lead the Imperial Guards to Liangxi to oversee the overall situation. He shall be temporarily relieved of his post as the Chief Steward of the Imperial Horse Administration and shall return to the inner court after the handover is completed."

The position of Chief Steward of the Imperial Horse Stables will be filled by a virtuous and capable appointee. The Grand Eunuch will be responsible for thoroughly verifying the sealed documents to determine if there are any errors. Those found innocent will be returned to court for service; those found guilty will be severely punished without leniency.

Before the pale-faced attendant could respond, Emperor Wei spoke again: "Furthermore, inform the imperial family members in charge of various regions that the Liangxi Imperial Horse Administration must recruit new soldiers, and they must select capable individuals from their own households, without making excuses or delays."

The palace was also required to select inspectors to travel to various regions to supervise and monitor any disobedient or disrespectful members of the imperial clan. Those found to be disrespectful or irresponsible would be punished by having their salaries and ranks stripped, as a warning to others.

Emperor Wei had been on the throne for many years and had long been adept at handling state affairs. These minor decrees could be decided with a single word without consulting anyone. This shows that although the Kuang family clan was in decline, they were not simply a figurehead emperor who could only stamp seals, as outsiders suspected.

As always, the old prime minister Gui Xuantong remained silent in the face of Emperor Wei's decree, sitting as still as a jade sculpture, seemingly uninterested in the affairs of the imperial family.

But when the pale-faced attendant spoke again, Emperor Wei and Gui Xuantong both perked up.

"The third purple talisman came from Shannan Road and was personally written by Marquis Fei Tianqin of Fengcheng."

Just as the white-faced attendant mentioned this point, Emperor Wei and Gui Xuantong simultaneously conjured up the image of a large bird with flat feathers and a sharp beak. Thinking of this sharp-tongued Marquis of Fengcheng, the two also felt a sense of kinship.

Although this old bird's cultivation level wasn't considered high, he had served three dynasties and had numerous military achievements. Moreover, because he had lived for over two thousand years, he had promoted and mentored many members of the imperial family and nobles in the past.

Among these people were powerful officials who had already risen to high positions; heaven knows how much good karma this old bird had accumulated.

One thing is certain: the reason why the Fei family of Yingzhou has been able to stand among the prominent families of the Immortal Dynasty as a powerful clan over the past hundred years is not only because Fei Yeyi is indeed a rare talent in managing the household, but also because of the many good relationships that this old bird has formed.

After all, in the three thousand years since the founding of the dynasty by the Taizu Emperor, only this old bird, Juntianqin, has been able to obtain a noble title and position in the Celestial Dynasty while in the form of a beast.

Few people can gain the favor of both the imperial family and the nobility, but this Juntian Bird can certainly be considered one of them. Upon hearing that it had arrived with news from Shannan Road, the expressions of Emperor Wei and Prime Minister Gui both softened slightly.

The pale-faced attendant, naturally aware that this old bird's status was considerably higher than the previous two nobles, didn't keep them in suspense and continued:

"Fengcheng Hou said that Xueshan Daobenying Temple Abbot Gelie may have already attained the Three Bodies and the Bright Appearance, and has mastered the cultivation method of reaching the 'Vairocana Illusion Body Vidyadhara Bodhisattva Appearance' and advancing to the level of Deity Transformation."

Upon hearing the words of the pale-faced attendant, both Emperor Wei and Gui Xuantong straightened their expressions, realizing the gravity of the matter.

Since the disappearance of Emperor Taizu, the Snow Mountain Circuit has always been outside the control of the central government, rarely under actual control and only subject to restraint. Not to mention supervising the imperial family, even the circuits, prefectures, states, and counties established at the beginning of the dynasty were all abolished by the Benying Temple.

Therefore, after three hundred years of seclusion, such progress is not necessarily a good thing for the Kuang family clan or the court nobles.

The news had been circulating for some time, and the Hon'oji side had not made any attempt to conceal it. It was not the first time the two had heard of it, but upon hearing confirmation from a high-ranking official, their expressions turned solemn, demonstrating the importance they attached to it.

The pale-faced attendant's tone remained unchanged despite the change in the two men's expressions; he continued in a calm voice:
"Bai Canhong, the master of Zhaixing Tower, had an ambiguous attitude, allowing Benying Temple's current abbot, Funeng, to enter the southern mountain path to select consorts and advance his Dharma form. The three officials under Zhaixing Tower also turned a blind eye, allowing Funeng to take advantage of the women."

Left with no other choice, the Yunjiao Prefecture court selected nine talented individuals to fight against him. Fu was able to defeat eight opponents, but in the ninth round, he was no match for Fei's son-in-law, Kang Dabao, and was defeated in thirty breaths. He is currently being held in Xuanwei City, personally guarded by the Marquis of Gucheng, Fei Nanying.

After a long silence, Gui Xuantong finally spoke up: "Grand Supervisor Wei, the attitude of Zhaixinglou may not be clear, but is their Daozi also among the nine who will fight against Fu Neng?"

When Wei Da heard the Prime Minister Gui's question, he responded in his usual calm voice:
"Reporting to the Left Prime Minister, the words on the purple talisman from the Marquis of Fengcheng are very clear. Not only did Zhaixing Tower not send anyone, but even Wu Laoshan in Shanbei Road did not send any Daoist disciples to help. The reason why we were able to win Fu Neng is entirely due to the dedication of the outstanding people of each family to the affairs of the king and their concerted efforts. It is by no means the achievement of just one family or one faction."

Gui Xuantong was taken aback for a moment, but then laughed out loud: "This old bird has really improved. In all these years, I have never heard him utter a few words of humility."

Emperor Wei was not surprised that Zhaixing Tower did not take any action, but when he heard that Wumu Mountain was doing the same, another idea came to his mind.

However, since he was not a ruler who could make decisions arbitrarily, he had no right to express his feelings in front of his ministers. He simply picked up a few words from Wei Dajian's words and murmured for a while: "Fei family son-in-law, Kang Dabao?"

The emperor was quite familiar with the aristocratic families of the Immortal Dynasty. After pondering for a while, he asked, "If I remember correctly, there seems to be a Chenjiang Kang family in Sizhou, Huangpi Road, which is near Shannan Road."

During the reign of the late emperor, the family was quite illustrious; father and son both achieved the Golden Elixir and served in the same court, a story widely celebrated. However, over three hundred years ago, they had already declined into a humble, respectable family. Is this Kang Dabao a talented individual from the Kang family?

Wei Dajian, holding the jade tablet, bowed again and said, "Your Majesty is wiser than anyone else. There is indeed a Kang family in Chenjiang within the territory of Sizhou, but this Kang Dabao is a local of Yunjiao Prefecture. He is a commoner from an unremarkable family, and even his family genealogy is not very clear. Going back, it can only be recorded for more than two hundred years and just over ten generations."

These words piqued the interest of both Gui Xuantong and Emperor Wei, with the former asking on their behalf, "Or is he a disciple of some true master?"

Wei Dajian examined the purple talisman for a while before answering seriously: "The Marquis of Fengcheng said that Kang Dabao's master is only a Qi Refining cultivator and is currently the head of a small sect. He is favored by the Earl of Nan'an and also oversees the military and civilian affairs of Ping and Jin counties."

He was a talented individual whom the Marquis of Nan'an had selected after he entered Yunjiao Prefecture. The Marquis of Gucheng, Fei Nanying, had a discerning eye for talent, betrothing his eldest daughter to him and nurturing her for decades, resulting in this fortunate turn of events.

Emperor Wei's face showed a rare hint of joy as he thought to himself, "The Fei family is indeed dedicated to their work. If they weren't so devoted to the affairs of state, why would they marry their eldest daughter to this penniless man?!"

Gui Xuantong naturally understood why Emperor Wei was pleased. Since the fall of Emperor Taizu, the Kuang family clan had been very keen on selecting young men from less prominent families.

Over the years, it seems that some results have been achieved. Shen Lingfeng was born into a Foundation Establishment family. Because of his extraordinary talent and the possession of the Mingxing Xuanshu Body, he not only received great support from the royal family, but also became a princess, was listed as a member of the royal family, and formed a Nascent Soul. He could almost be said to have ascended to the heavens in one step.

For this reason, Shen Lingfeng, the newly promoted True Person, is only very close to the imperial clan and has almost no contact with the major clans and sects that have been established for many years. If things don't go well in the future, it goes without saying who he will side with.

After all, it would be an exaggeration to say that the entire court of officials and the royal family of David are only superficially united, but it is impossible to say that the two sides are currently sharing weal and woe. At most, they can only be described as being inextricably linked.

Therefore, whether there were any true men in the world who were devoted to the imperial family, and how many of them were devoted to the imperial family, was of paramount importance to Emperor Wei.

Having tasted the benefits of cultivating someone like Shen Lingfeng, the Kuang family clan members have become increasingly attentive to children from humble backgrounds.

Therefore, it was only natural that Emperor Wei was pleased to hear that Kang Dabao, the abbot of Desheng Benying Temple, had such an innocent background.

Emperor Wei's spirits lifted, and even his worries about Ge Lie's attainment of the Three Bodies of the Bright Manifestation lessened somewhat. He simply spoke to Grand Eunuch Wei:
"A special envoy is to be dispatched from the Imperial Household Department to select two top-quality Toji trees from the outer seas and send them to the Fei family's territory in Yingzhou, to commend the Duke of Shangzhu for his loyalty to the country and his merit in selecting outstanding talents. At the same time, the Duke of Shangzhu is also to be informed that if any talented individuals come from the border regions in the future, and the time is right, they may be brought to meet me."

"Yes!" After the matter was settled, Wei Dajian and Gui Xuantong took their leave one after the other. Emperor Wei dismissed his attendants, leaving only himself in the vast hall, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

After a long silence, Emperor Wei sighed with regret, "The affairs of the state are indeed difficult."

Just as Emperor Wei's sorrows were fading away, a letter written in the handwriting on a silk hand was being sent to Yunjiao Prefecture from the Shangqin Palace behind the Yixin Palace.

(End of this chapter)